Plans for 2020 · 3:49am Jan 16th, 2020
They say the difference between an amateur writer and a professional writer is that amateurs wait for inspiration, professionals sit down and get it done. That alone is why I've always considered an amateur and nothing more. Losing motivation to write has plagued me before, and its why New Sun Rises is taking so damn long to finish.
To that end, I continue in my ceaseless quest to stir motivation by seeking out new projects and ideas to develop. The simple hope is that by finding something I am motivated to write, I can stir up the drive to write NSR afterwards. Its certainly worked before and how I managed to get my butt to finish that latest chapter. I didn't necessarily write anything new, I just got motivated to write after some Netflix binging. Also part of the reason why it was so short lived as I'm back in my usual rut.
All this is just a long way of getting to the point that I am at least laying ground work on a new project. It isn't NSR, but at least it might get me writing again. But in that development work, I find myself facing a bit of an issue.
Without going into specifics, the new project is a crossover, and how I usually do crossovers is that I take plot and story elements from one source, and use it to tell a story in MLP. My WH40k crossover is basically just retelling the first episodes of MLP but with a layer of WH40k themes, plots, and setting elements mixed into it. People seemed to enjoy it, even if the execution was... rough (this was all before I got my editor). My problem with this new crossover, though, is that its a source that relies heavily on shock value, plot twists, and defying expectations. Part of the reason why I liked it in the first place, and there's a lot of overlapping elements between it and MLP that is why I want to try the crossover. But by doing a crossover, I will invariably get people who are familiar with the second source material: they will know the twists, they will know the surprises, they will know how things unfold.
If I did a Star Wars x MLP crossover, I will never be able to surprise anyone by having Darth Luna reveal herself to be Twilight Skywalker's mother, you know?
Without those twists, those surprises, those subverted expectations, I worry that readers won't be able to get the same level of enjoyment. If I rid myself of these plot elements, I fear that calling it a crossover would be rather meaningless as well as deprive the story of critical themes, at which point it feels like it no longer resembles the story I wanted to tell. At the same time, keeping these elements I fear the story will wind up feeling like just a retelling of the crossover's source but with MLP characters instead.
To go back to the Star Wars example, just transplanting Luke and Leia and Han's role onto MLP characters and then telling a story about how they rescue a princess and destroy the Death Star will always wind up being a 'just retelling Star Wars but with ponies' no matter how much I change the exact details of how the rescue and destruction wind up happening. Sure, some people might enjoy it, but most I imagine aren't interested in reading a rehash of someone else's work, especially when done by an amateur. At best, people familiar with the source might wind up uninterested, at worst they might spoil things for people who aren't familiar. And at the end of the day, a crossover is going to rely on the interest of people familiar with the source. This ain't like Fallout Equestria where the crossover itself now constitutes its own fandom and attracts even people who aren't familiar with the core Fallout is.
So what is a writer to do? Am I to toss aside the plot elements in order to separate myself further from the source material, but risk losing the story I wanted to tell in the first place? Am I keep those elements, but risk making a lesser experience for it because people will at the very least suspect what's in store for them?
I realize my lack of specifics might make it hard for anyone to offer actual advice beyond words of encouragement, but that sort of reflects just how much I worry that even knowing what source material might ruin the reading experience. Honestly, I think I am more just writing this entry just to put my thoughts in order first, and get a feel for what others think second.
That's enough rambling. At the very least, now you guys can at least know I'm not just sitting idle.
Well, a good story is still a good story.
If possible, go for the crossover, but see how it goes with new logic and momentum of the story.
In SW terms, Darth Luna would be also opposed by her sister Jedi master Celestia (or would that be Starswirl? And Celestia would be force-sensitive Twilight's aunt from Naboo? )
Anyway, my ramblings are only to highlight a different thing how you subvert the source material is in itself intriguing, so go for it with all your flair and passion.
With mass amount of people dead it’s 50-50 If he’s alive